Bud Selig on PED cheats: 'I believe in stronger penalties'

MLB Commissioner Bud Selig would like to see tougher punishments for PED cheats. (Hannah Foslien/Getty Images)

Major league baseball players who test positive for performance-enhancing drugs receive a 50-game suspension on the first offense, 100 games for the second, and face a lifetime ban on the third offense.

MLB Commissioner Bud Selig said he would like to see tougher penalties for offenders, especially on the first time a player tests positive.

"I would change everything," Selig said to USA Today. "I have some very strong feelings on what they should be, but in fairness to Rob and Michael, I'll let them do it. I believe in stronger penalties. My view is that it should be done as expeditiously as possible. We've made meaningful adjustments to our testing and now the time has come to make meaningful adjustments to our penalties. I feel very strongly about this. This is for the best interest of this sport, and everybody in it."

Selig did not discuss a player by name but admitted a stronger deterrent was needed when Melky Cabrera and Bartolo Colon, who were both suspended for performance-enhancing drugs last season, received raises during the offseason.

"There have been enough events that say to me that the program is good," Selig said, "apparently, the penalties haven't deterred some people. A very small percentage. There are some people that need to be given a tougher lesson.

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